NASA brought its crew back to Earth earlier than planned on Thursday, following a medical concern involving one of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This event represents NASA's inaugural medical evacuation from the orbiting laboratory.
The SpaceX capsule carrying the crew safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego during the night, roughly 11 hours after departing the space station.
"Being back home feels incredibly reassuring," said Zena Cardman, the commander of the spacecraft. Their mission, originally initiated in August, concluded unexpectedly early, leaving the space station with a reduced team of one American and two Russian astronauts onboard.
Along with Cardman and fellow NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, the returning team included Japan's Kimiya Yui and Russia's Oleg Platonov. Due to medical confidentiality, NASA and associated officials have not disclosed which astronaut was affected or the specific nature of the medical concern.
While the astronaut's condition remained stable during their time in orbit, NASA determined that returning to Earth promptly was necessary to facilitate thorough medical evaluation and treatment.
The spacecraft's re-entry and ocean landing did not necessitate any special modifications or accommodations, and the recovery vessel had its standard complement of medical personnel available to support the team upon arrival.
Details concerning the astronauts' subsequent travel arrangements—such as when they might return to NASA's base in Houston or when Platonov might fly back to Moscow—have not been disclosed.
NASA emphasized over the past week that the situation did not constitute an emergency. The medical issue arose on January 7, leading to the cancellation of a planned spacewalk originally scheduled for the following day involving Cardman and Fincke. This decision ultimately led to concluding the expedition prematurely. This medical evacuation marks the first time NASA has curtailed a space mission for health reasons, a measure that was previously undertaken by Russian space programs decades earlier.
The ISS is capable of operating with a crew of only three, and even as few as two astronauts in some instances. However, NASA indicated that without a full contingent, spacewalks cannot be conducted, even in emergency scenarios, until a new crew arrives. The incoming team, currently scheduled to launch in mid-February, consists of two Americans, one French astronaut, and one Russian.